While
reading the Journal of Discourses today, I came across the following from
Brigham Young wherein he affirmed the importance of Latter-day Saints appealing
to the Bible in support of our theology (unlike Joseph Fielding McConkie and
others who, functionally, had a very
low view of the Bible):
I had a conversation recently with a
prominent minister of a church in the East and he said, I do not agree with you
in your peculiar views. I answered, are you not for the truth, the whole truth
and nothing but the truth? If you are, so am I. How is it possible to get up an
argument? I will make a bargain. I will compare my religion with yours. We will
start out with the Bible alone taking it as the standard. All that the Bible
teaches for doctrine and practice we will take for our guide. If I have an
error I will part with it. Will you do the same? If you can find that you have
a truth that I have not, and that I have an error, I will trade ten errors if I
have them for one truth. Take the religion of Christ from the foundation up,
and it is all true and for the benefit of mankind . . . Take up the Bible,
compare the religion of the Latter-day Saints with it, and see if it will stand
the test. We preach the Gospel, gather the people of God from all nations
tongues and people, and build up the kingdom of God on the earth, and this
calls for manual labor, the affections of the heart, and the devotion of all
our powers. God bless you. Amen. (JOD 16:43, 46-47 | May 18, 1873)
